Uncontrolled Wildfire
by kamwolfe5
Summary: This story is inspired by the season 4 opener of The Closer-Brenda and Croelick confrontation.
1. Chapter 1

Controlled Burn…Uncontrolled Wildfire…

I do not own the characters from The Closer. I was inspired by the 4th season opener Controlled Burn and I wanted to create some drama of my own. Thanks for reading!

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**Uncontrolled Wildfire**

"I said get out! Leave! Or so help me god, I will take you down!" Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson said through a tight jaw. She could hear her heart beating in her ears and it nearly drowned out her own words. –How did he get in here? How did he find this address? - Brenda's mind manically wondered and she fought with each muscle not to let the trembling start, which was very real in her mind. Her eyes narrowed and she steadied her gun. Brenda hated that no matter what happened to her, she was still felt at times, vulnerable and with the recent health scare and now an impending marriage, she was just not sure how much more she could physically and mentally deal with.

Croelick did not miss a beat. He could see right through her cool exterior and knew he had scared the hell out of her…well was scaring the hell out of her and he smiled with pristine white teeth. Brenda heard the laugh come from his throat…a taunting, fully pleased laugh and she snarled.

"Did you hear me Croelick? I said get out!"

Brenda took a step forward and edged around the dinning room table upon which two of her own white candles had been neatly placed side by side. She had noted there placement, which only hours ago, the candles had still been packed. Her gripped tightened over the gun and her finger danced along the trigger.

Still he laughed and kept on smiling.

-Damn him! - Brenda's mind said and he still did not move. Brenda's heart was now clearly in her throat and her cool exterior was slightly cracking. What she could not figure out…was why. Why had he come to her…again, after so many months and after she had just closed the case to which Croelick had obliviously not been a part of. Croelick stood, unmoved by her act of courage to get closer. His arms rested lightly at his sides and it was clear to Brenda that he had no weapon. However, it was what she could not see that would be her undoing. In the loose, un-tucked part of his dress shirt was a plastic jar filled with gasoline.

It was just for her…for 'Just plain Brenda…'

"MOVE! That is my last warning," she said, stopped at the table's edge and did not move any closer. She wanted to, but her better judgment warned her against it. Brenda glared at him, slightly squinted. She was not wearing her glasses and although she could see well enough to shoot and surely injury him, she could not make out the difference from a white jar against his white dress shirt. She had no way of knowing what he had planned for her. It was just how Bill Croelick had wanted it and it could not have worked out more perfectly.

"Fine fine," he finally said and lifted up his hands to prove to her that he carried no weapon. Brenda tensed, but did not take a step back. Croelick watched the barrel of her gun follow his movements. He laughed again and continued. "But can I tell you just one more thing…just one tiny piece of information. I really need you to know this, just plain Brenda," his eyes sparkled when he said her name, "I lied…"

Brenda blinked her right eyebrow arched, confused and interested. It was the "Closer" part of her. Facts were facts and all evidence, no matter how small was just as important. She licked her lips, steadied her gun again. He saw the muscle under her left eye twitch.

-I got you- The words hummed in his mind.

"What? Lied about what, Croelick?" She said.

"Why, about you Brenda," he said, still smiling and still having that damn sparkle of pure enjoyment in his eyes. Brenda growled deep in her throat. This was getting to her and not just scared shitless…damn irritation.

"Ok. What about me?"

"Well, when we first met, I said that you were not my type. That there was nothing more to you and I. That you were just way too bossy for my liking. Well, I lied." He slowly began to lower his hands just enough to taunt her. Brenda now took a step and a half back from him. "It seems that my tastes have changed," he took two steps forward to her one step back. "…and I have 'just plain Brenda,' to thank for it" He laughed an airy smile.

"Don't come any closer!" Brenda said, her words firm, but her exterior was now on full alert of breaking down. She felt all the control that she had recently had, slip right out from under her. Her knees began to tremble, then her legs, then her arms, and finally the very fingers that held the gun, aimed directly at him. "I mean it! I will shoot you down!"

"Oh, I don't doubt it. I would be very disappointed if you tried anything less," he said and took two more steps forward. Brenda was struggling for control. –Fritz…where are you? -

"Good, then I won't disappoint," Brenda said and just as her finger began to press down on the trigger, he reached inside his leather jacket and flung the contents of the jar at her. Brenda was instantly taken by surprise. She started coughing. She could not see. All the gasoline had gone directly into her face and her eyes stung and her throat burned. She stumbled backwards and Croelick lunged at her. His fingers surrounded her small throat and he slammed her against the wall. Brenda coughed harder, both from the feelings of drowning in gasoline and lack of a clear wind pipe from his fingers wrapped around her neck. Brenda heard a picture fall and glass breaking. She brought her hand up to grab his wrist and with the other hand, still holding her gun, jammed it right into his stomach. Had she not heard the sound she heard next, she would have shot him…not even caring that she was covered in enough gasoline to also catch herself on fire.

The sound caused her to freeze still and her gun dropped as if in slow motion to the floor at her feet.

Croelick smiled madly and opened and closed a silver lighter in front of her face. At one point, she saw the deadly flame very close to her nose.

Brenda nearly stopped breathing and she forgot all about the self-control that would have stopped her from shaking. She shook like a new born kitten and was just about as blind as one.

"You see?" He said, "you see what happens when you act stupid? You are not stupid, Brenda. You are not stupid at all…" He opened and closed the lighter again and was blissfully pleased to see her jerk hard. Brenda was sure she saw him smiling and she heard him laugh. He leaned in close and took a long intake of air, smelling her. "I can only imagine how good you would smell all a blaze in hot flames…"

Brenda's jaw dropped and although she was clearly scared out of her mind, she had not lost herself…yet. She forced out every last bit of courage with her words. "Much better than you…hell would even kick you out from your pitiful stench," she said. To her surprise, he laughed and she stared at him in disbelief. Then he got mad and back handed her across her left cheek. Her head violently jerked right and she cried out in pain. A small trickle of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth from the blow and she felt his grip tighten around her throat.

"One more stupid remark, one more stupid action and I will blow you up," he hissed and closed his fingers so tight around her throat that she would soon go unconscious. Brenda fought, fought through the fear, fought through the pain, and fought for life…and for Fritz even as her world closed in around her.

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The front door shut and Fritz set down the bag of food he had brought back for dinner. He smiled and moved into the dinning area.

"Brenda?" He said, setting his keys down on the table and saw the two candles, side by side. "Brenda?" He said again, grinning from ear to ear. He came around the table.

"Bren…"

Fritz caught a whiff of something metal, of something not normal in a house setting. He knew instantly what it was…gasoline. He stuttered to a stop and coughed, waving his hand in the air. "What the heck…Brenda, why does it smell like gasoline in here?"

Kitty hissed when he took another step. Fritz looked down and reached for her, but she hissed again and darted away. "Brenda?" He said repeated and turned around. It was then that he saw what was on the wall…something that should not be there at all. There was a spatter of oil on the white walls…and when he got closer, he saw the faint hint of blood. His eyes widened. "Brenda!! Answer me!!" She was no where to be found…

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Any comments or opinions are welcome. Thanks.


	2. Chapter 2

The Hunted The Hunted

Agent Howard did not waste any time with calling the right authorities…Brenda's team. Chief Pope, Commander Taylor, and Sgt. Gabriel met him in the hallway right outside the elevator doors. Pope saw Howard's face and felt the concern himself. It was just not right the way things happened and especially not right when it happened to one of their own. Although it had been years since he was in a relationship with Brenda, Pope still felt in part, responsible for her well-being. He asked her here, saw her struggle to gain the team's loyalty and trust, and saw her win them over with the strength that he knew she had. Perhaps that was why he was harder on her than anyone else…Pope knew Brenda.

Now it was Howard's turn...

"So, tell me all you know," Pope said and came to stop inside the open room of Priority Homicide. Provenza and Flynn were on their way in; Tao was on vacation, but had reported he would be in within the next 12 hours. Agent Howard came to a desk and placed his hands on the table firmly. His hair was unkempt, clothing was ruffled and wrinkled, and his eyes were blood shot from no sleep. It had nearly been two days since Brenda had gone missing. So far, what they had figured out was that Bill Croelick was the best possible suspect. He had not shown up for his latest TV appearance since winning his case against the state as well as his freedom. However that was not the worst part…his home had been cleared and only a note with three words on it had been found left on the fireplace mantel.

' ONE MORE BURNS'

That set everything into hyper drive…

Gabriel was the first one to speak.

"After a clean sweep of the apartment, we did find traces of blood, gasoline, and fibers. Since Tao is not here, I sent them down to evidence as soon as I got in. They assured me that it was first priority. Said, I should have something back within the hour…"

"I don't care about the gasoline or the fibers!" Howard started, "What I need to know is if the blood is Brenda's!"

"We all do, Agent Howard," Pope said, holding a hand up to calm and silence Howard.

"Yeah, of course," Howard said and breathed a heavy sigh while dropping his head. -Still does not make me feel any better…-He thought.

"Ok, "Pope continued, "We cannot wait on the evidence. We have to get moving. Howard I want you to go home, get some rest. You look like shit." He raised a hand again and Agent Howard, being far too tired, backed down much easier. He would just go home and go find her on his own anyway. But for the sake of another argument, he let Pope think he'd won.

"Flynn and Provenza, get started on going through everything we have on Bill Croelick, homes, bank accounts, recent transactions, flights, rentals, the works. I want nothing left unchecked. Gabriel, put together the last 48 hours of everything you and Chief Johnson did, since you were with her the most. I even want to know the times when she was not with you. Give me details." Pope turned to Commander Taylor who seemed to come to attention at the blue-eyed stare of the Chief. "Taylor, get your best men out there looking for Chief Johnson. I want her found as soon as possible." Pope finally breathed and dismissed the group.

Once alone he turned to face Agent Howard, who had yet to move from his current position; head still down, but now his shoulders had dropped in what seemed like disbelief. Pope shook his head and took a step closer to the worn man. He reached up and placed a hand on the right shoulder of Howard. Not only did the touch startle Howard, it startled him as well. Pope's brow furrowed.

"Did you hear what I said, Agent Howard? We have the best of the best working on this. We will find her. She would not let any of us down and I sure as hell am not going to let her down." He said with a quick nod. He would never stop looking for Brenda. Howard finally met the older man's eyes. Pope saw a world within Fritz's brown eyes. It was a lost world…an empty world, but a determined world.

"I promise Fritz," Pope added.

"Yeah, " Howard said and returned the nod very faintly. There was not much else to do.

--

The apartment was eerily quiet. Even Kitty was not meowing. Fritz dropped his coat on the back of the chair and numbly walked into the kitchen. He opened the cupboard, still full of unused dishes and took down a cup. He filled it half way with water and wandered into the living room. In a drawer by the end table, he pulled out a bottle of Tylenol, downed two pills and set the glass down on the table. He moved from the living room, grabbed something thick and brown as he walked into the hall and then into the bedroom. Her scent filled his nose the moment he stepped into the open room; the bed still left unmade from the previous morning. Fritz sighed and shuffled over to the bed, dropped on the edge, and clutched the thick brown sweater, Brenda's favorite sweat to his chest. He closed his eyes, bringing the warmth of it to his nose and face and breathed in. Fritz could smell her and in that quiet moment alone he trembled, then cried, and fell over onto the bed. He felt vulnerable, broken, and scared. He had never loved anyone this much and the very thought of never seeing her again, tore at him in the most primal and raw way. Fritz Howard felt broken without Brenda.

--

Brenda was broken.

She felt raw and vulnerable.

She smelled of gasoline…and she trembled at the very sight of a flickering light, which was always followed by the metallic sound of a lighter being opened and closed. A dark shadow stood over her and she pushed back her sticky blond curls to see Croelick. Her mouth twisted into hate and her eyes bore the look of death within them.

"Get mad Brenda," Croelick said and smiled. He was so pleased with his prize that winning the case against the state just seemed like candy. Having her…having Brenda Leigh Johnson in his power and control was a hundred times better. He even fathomed the idea of not burning her…slightly.

"I think that is what you want, Bill," Brenda shot back, curling her knees to her chest for warmth more than fear. Her clothing was also soaked in gasoline and the aroma was beginning to make her sick. Her eyes burned and her mouth was dry from coughing.

"You do?" He asked, kneeling down to her level.

"Yes."

He laughed and shook his head. "You really think you know me. I don't think you know me at all." He edged closer, well aware that the lighter was visible to her blurry sight.

Brenda blinked, willing her eyes to see, but getting nothing more than shadows and light. She hated feeling so useless and more so, utterly vulnerable. "I do want tell you, just plain Brenda. I want you to know me. I want you to know the very man that will end your life," he said, his eyes dancing with pure excitement. Croelick reached out and touched her. She pulled back but not in enough time to miss him. His hand came out to trace a greasy line down her cheek, along her jaw and ending at her collarbone. Her heartbeat increased and he saw it in the pulsing veins in her neck. Croelick swallowed. It was too soon to get excited, for he wanted to savor all the time he had with her…every moment of her torment, her raw fear, and infuriated anger.

"Get the hell away from me," Brenda said and pulled away from him completely.

"You are too funny, Brenda. Really, you should go on tour. Hmm?" He said and just as he finished his words, his face jerked to the right and he knew blood flew from the corner of his mouth. Before he could react, his head jerked in the other direction and he stumbled backwards on his knees, slipped on a rug, and fell face down onto the hard wood flood. Brenda, with her hands ducked tapped at her back rolled her self away from him. Her heart felt like it was going to break free from her chest. While he had been talking and completely distracted, she had managed to get her feet undone from the tape by slipping one shoe off and using the heel of the other to slowly break and tear the tape. She saw the shocked look on his face when she left and right foot hooked him. She would remember to thank her Professor in college for advising her to take all those self-defense courses even before she had decided to go into the CIA…that is if she got out of this.

Brenda did not stop. Behind her, Croelick moan and then became enraged. She knew there was only a matter of seconds to get to the door across the room and break the glass and scream with everything she had left in her. Getting to the door was easy, but getting up proved a bit more challenging. However, she did make it. Brenda saw out of the corner of her eye that Croelick had managed to get up. –Shit-she said in her head and used the last few seconds of time to break the glass. Brenda knew her life was over when he would reach her, but she would be damned if she let him take her down without a fight. She took one more look back, saw him lunging toward her at an insane speed and she screamed. Her only hope was that someone…anyone, would hear it and investigate…find her…dead or alive…either way, she did not want to die here and never be found.

"You stupid Bitch!" He said and threw his arm around her neck, snapping her head back and silencing her scream with a panic filled wail. Brenda's feet stumbled and struggled to maintain solid ground as he pulled her back from the door. Croelick placed his other arm around her waist and held her against him with her head pulled back so that he could look into her eyes. Brenda stopped struggling for a moment…her own self-preservation caused her to. He felt her swallow under his restricted hold. He lowered his face to hers, his mouth inches from her own as he spoke…his words riddled with an anger that was worse than hell's. Brenda was at least pleased to see trickles of blood down each side of mouth.

"I hate stupid women! You are very stupid!" Croelick was trembling in rage and he shook Brenda painfully hard with each of his words as if beating them into her. She stared up at him, unable to move, unable turn away. Her mind was fuzzy.

"Well, I am smart enough to get two good hits," she countered through tremble lips and rising fear. Whether she liked it or not, she was afraid…not of dying…but of never seeing Fritz again…never holding him again, or kissing his warm lips. Her throat tightened and a tear welled up in her right eye. She attempted to blink it away and lucky for her, she did. Why did she have to love someone so much that her life was important? She never wanted to leave anyone behind to miss her, to feel empty…but she would.

Fritz would be alone and likely never to love again. She had watched him sleep for a long time when his back was hurt in their playing after sex in the morning a few weeks ago. He held her hand against his chest, breathing in time with her, and smiled in his sleep. Brenda had placed the softest kiss upon his cheek and in his sleep; she had heard him say…'I love you…'

Now, here she was standing in front of death's door and finding herself regretting never really letting herself be free, never letting herself have the family she had wanted, or the time off she desired, or letting herself fall into the arms of the man she loved and because she wanted to, not because she wanted something in return to help solve her case. She loved Fritz…and if she made it out of this…she would let him know that there was no man she wanted to spend the rest of her live with, but him.

That was the last thought she had before she felt herself flying across the room and hitting the far wall again. She heard herself make a sharp cry and then painfully fall to the ground, sliding against the wall. She saw a blurry image come at her, felt her legs jerking from beneath her crumbled body and being wrapped in tape or something again. Croelick then rolled her to her back and straddled her. Brenda felt the buckle or her pants being broken or undone and her shirt being drawn upwards. The tiny hairs on her stomach stood on end at the touch of cold air. –Oh god-

The sound of metal again.  
Open and close-of the lighter.  
Open and close-then the flame.  
Open and close.  
Open and close.  
Then the pain…

Brenda screamed.


	3. Chapter 3

The skin was raw and the gasoline smell from her clothing that was all but dried made the burn much worse Payback

The skin was raw and the gasoline smell from her clothing that was all but dried made the burn much worse. Brenda winced and slowly rolled to her side. She had yet been able to even get a look at what he had done.

–That son of a bitch bastard- had done to her.

Brenda's mind spoke to her in anger and in comfort. She sucked in a very painful and tight breath, let it out slowly, and trembled as she did. She attempted to curl her knees to her chest for the third time in the past 15-20 minutes, but the tearing of tender skin at her abdomen halted that action for the third time…again.

"Damn it!" Brenda said to herself and sniffed back a few loan tears that had started to break free from her swollen, red eyes. She sighed and let her head fall against the tile floor with a soft 'thud' and closed her tired eyes. Brenda licked her lips and tried to focus on something other than the raw pain. However, in the darkness of her own mind she could not stop reliving the last few hours.

Over and over…

Screaming and screaming…but never pleading…that would be too easy…that would pour more fuel into his flame.

Open and close.  
Open and close.  
Then the pain…

…Brenda screamed with so much intensity that she could swear her eardrums bled violently. Her entire body convulsed and pulled back in primal instinct from the burning flame of his lighter. Yet he kept coming. He kept holding her down. He kept burning into her flesh.

Croelick was enjoying her torment with great pleasure. After all that time he had spent in prison for a crime people thought he did not commit. Why shouldn't someone not pay for that? Did it matter who paid? No…just that someone did. The corner of his mouth curled into a grin and he closed the lighter for one brief moment.

Brenda took in anguished breaths. The tears she had forced back earlier were pouring from her eyes as if a water's faucet was broken. At her stomach, she could feel the burn throbbing along with her manic heartbeat. Beneath him, Brenda trembled just slightly, but it was enough for Croelick to relish.

"Damn you Croelick! Damn you!" Brenda said in pain trembled lips.

"Sure, damn me, Brenda," Croelick said and opened and closed the lighter again which caused Brenda to cry out instinctively in protest. "But, unfortunately, I have already heard that one before. Just doesn't seem to have the same affect as it once did. And coming from you, why, it is just plain said, just plain Brenda. I would have thought you could have come up with something better." He smiled and his eyes twinkled with delight. Then he leaned forward and took in a long breath; his nose close to the burned flesh right below her navel. Brenda jerked hard under him in disgust and horror.

"You are filthy and you are sick!" She said enraged.

"Why, thank you, Brenda, " he laughed.

Croelick then scooted upward on her body and Brenda bit her lower lip to keep from crying out. However, a small whimper did escape. Her eyes shut tight for a moment as his straddled position stopped right over the very place he had just burned.

"You will pay for this Croelick…when I get free…and you damn well be sure I will. What I will do to you will be worse than putting you into the prisons again and having you labeled as a child sex offender! Brenda spat back at him. "You will be praying for mercy that WILL NOT COME! I will make sure of THAT!"

Croelick had his hand around her small neck before she could blink and her entire face went red from the quick halt of oxygen. His face came down close to hers and all she could do was look right back up into his sadistic glare. Her own eyes widened and her brow furrowed into worry and fear all mixed into one. She was not afraid of dying…she was afraid of what she would leave undone. Croelick felt her struggle under him and fight even as she slowly began to loose consciousness. Brenda could hear her heart beating fast in her ears and right before her world did turn to black she saw his face, felt him kiss her cheek, and whisper in her ear. "Nighty night, Brenda. Don't stay away too long…or you will miss all the funnnnnn…"

The world before her eyes went black and she hoped not forever…

Brenda shook out a sigh and swallowed in an attempt to forget what had happened to her. –I need water- she thought and opened her eyes slowly to come face to face with Bill Croelick. Brenda recoiled out of instinct and yelped in terror. Parts of her sticky, stiff, blond locks collapsed over her eyes with her startled movement and Croelick reached out to place them behind her ear. Brenda jerked back again before he was able to touch her.

"I told you to stay the hell away from me!"

He reached again and she pulled back again.

"Are you deaf? Or just plain slow!?" Brenda asked him and found before she had actually finished her sentence that she was against the wall. There was nowhere else left to go. –Might as well face him-

"Why!" She said finally able to manage a word and not sound as if she was stuttering. "Why are you doing this? What do you want?"

There was a long pause and then her path to see him was cleared as he brushed the stiff locks from her eyes. Brenda just looked at him. She wanted an answer. Croelick just studied her. He was not yet willing to give an answer. His eyes took in all the details of her pained, angry face, the barely there quiver of her bottom lip, the slight twitch of her eyes, the way her lips parted in order to take in another breath, and how her fair skin revealed every change in her emotions. Her cheeks were flushed pink as if she had been out for a morning jog and her skin glistened with sweat as if she had just stepped out of the shower. He imagined her soaked and standing with a towel tugged tightly around her slender body just above the breasts. He had been attracted to her from the start and her high position within the LAPD had turned him off for a brief while. However, he simply could not get her out of his mind. He wanted her to be the way she could never be…and that only made him cherish her more.

Why!?" She screamed at Croelick again and ripped him from his small day dream. He blinked a few times and smiled down at her.

"To be honest?" He asked.

"Why not!" Brenda countered.

"Because you have changed something in me that I rather do not like. My desire, "he held up his fingers in a quoting fashion, "my M.O. as you would put it…is the dumb, simplistic blonds, that have intelligence less than that of an infant. I initially thought that was you. However, finding that my new object of desire was none other than a Deputy Chief of the LAPD priority murder squad..." He sighed and shook his head. "Was incredibly disappointing." He shrugged a cheeky grin.

"That is a pile of sh…" Brenda was cut off and moreover pissed off because her range of emotions kept reversing on her

"Ahh!" Corelick's finger on her lips had silenced her and he did not remove it while he finished his thought. "However what I just said is not entirely truthful. I do like you, Brenda. I more or less wanted to see how one such as you reacted to the thought or reality of dying. You pick your poison. And like all those others? The stupid blonds? I am rather pleased to inform you, that when it comes right down to facing death...everyone pleads for mercy. Even you will, Brenda. Oh, yes, even you will…"

Brenda could do nothing more than stare at him in disbelief. She began to wonder if this was her rightful end. After all those years of saving people's lives, of finding the criminals who did the innocent wrong, of putting away evil behind solid steel bars…was she really going to go out in this fashion? As soon as those thoughts crept into her mind, she threw them out. As long as she was still breathing, she would fight.

–I will not go down without a fight…-Became the mantra that played over and over in her mind.

Croelick, after what seemed like a very long minute removed his hand and let Brenda speak her mind. He could see the words forming over her lips and saw the tiny muscles in her jaw tense. He was prepared for another round of Brenda threats and another round of Brenda vulnerabilities. She was hard and stubborn like he expected her to be. But…she was also the vulnerable woman that he desired her to be.

Brenda was seething.

Croelick lifted her up even with her fighting back and slammed her against the wall in a sitting position. She winced at the pressure of her arms against the wall from the force of his actions. Fear was gone now. The wound he had inflicted on her hours before had accidentally backfired and Brenda worked fast and quiet to rip at the loosened tape around her wrists. Croelick moved closer and leaned in, putting his face nose to nose with hers. Brenda never let her eyes leave him for a second. She snarled and he smiled. Then he hit the wall on both sides of her face and flattened his hands against the wall. Brenda jumped and blinked a few times. He glared at her.

"I won't beg for mercy Croelick. You are wasting your time," she said and the tape broke…and Croelick did not notice. He huffed a laugh, moved his cheek to brush against hers, and placed his lips against her ear.

"Why don't we just find out," he whispered and then ran his tongue along the edge of her ear. Brenda trembled with rage that finally cracked. As he pulled back to see her reaction Brenda struck…hard. Her hand attacked his throat and remained where they landed, tightening like a snakes body around newly surprised caught prey. Croelick's mouth hung open, frozen in a silenced scream. Brenda brought his face right back to hers. Her eyes were wild and frightening.

"Burn…in…hell!"


	4. Chapter 4

"_Burn in HELL!"_

_Brenda felt her fingers tighten around his neck out of sheer anger and by the bulging of Croelick's eyes, she new he was feeling the air leaving his body. Brenda stared into his eyes and saw fear, but she felt no quilt. This lack of emotion not only surprised her; it thrilled her. _

"_This is just the kind of pay back you deserve, Croelick," she said while her eyes remained locked to his._

_She was in full control and he knew it. Croelick struggled at her grip, slipped and fell back to rear end time and time again…and he took her down with the last one. Brenda caught her balance, straddled his upper torso, and held him firmly in place. She caught his eyes again. The fear had began to fade in his eyes; replaced by a glossy film on the edge of passing out. Brenda wanted him gone…dead. It did not matter anymore who attacked whom, or which law was right…she never wanted to see his face again._

_Croelick gasped for breath now and flailed beneath her like a fish on dry land. He tried to speak, but his air flow tight and restricted left his words silent and his mind unstable. He felt light headed and when he wanted to fight back, her hands only got tighter. Inside his mind, something told him to give in…that he would get his chance to pay her back for this…something told him to stop. He wanted to keep fighting…keep living to see her struggle…but something kept telling him to stop. In the end, when darkness finally took him into nothingness, Croelick was not sure it was the voice that told him to stop, or lack of oxygen._

_Brenda squeezed one more time, hard and saw his eyes roll back into his head. For a long while, with the clock ticking loudly in her ears, she held her hands in place until she was sure he was gone. No one would come back from this…he should not come back from this…_

_-He will not come back from this- Brenda thought._

_It was after that thought that she felt comfortable enough to release her fingers from his neck. Her hands were white and red, sore, and numb…and they trembled. She sucked in a deep breath and pulled her hands to her chest, feeling her heart beating fast inside her chest. She was still surprised that she had actually taken him down…not that she had any doubts, but…the slight thought of never making it out alive had crossed her mind more times than one in the past few days._

"_My god…"she said breathlessly at the deep markings on his neck. There were blood vessels broken and the skin was raw and purple. She swallowed and slowly got up. The room was suspended before her and she stumbled over to the door with the glass window that she had just broken. Brenda leaned against it for support for what seemed like an eternity, closed her eyes, and mentally told the room to stop floating. She still felt nauseous from the smell of gasoline. Outside a hawk let out a shrill cry which caused her eyes to jerk open. In addition, she spun around, ready for an attack out of instinct to only see Croelick's unconscious body on the tiled kitchen floor._

"_You stay right there, " she said as she slowly stepped past him and looked for a phone or anything to call out from. After a few moments, when nothing possible was found she walked back over and kicked him hard in the side, hoping to bruise him._

"_Good for nothing…" Her words stopped at the sound of a helicopter heard off in the distance._

"_Help…" her mind screamed._

"_Help," her lips screamed, but found that her voice was not coming. Her throat was dry, swollen, and scratchy. "Shit…"she mumbled to herself and moved farther from the house, shaded her eyes from the sun, and looked up. There was still the sounds of what could be a helicopter…but where. Brenda scanned above and then lowered her eyes to find a dismayed view of the landscaped that surrounded her. She could not place where she was nor could she see any other buildings around, or a road, or even signs of other people. All she saw were miles and miles of thick, tall, trees. Her sense of hope that any escape was possible began to disappear along with her chances of surviving out in the wilderness in her present condition. Brenda's shoulders dropped and in frustration, she wiped her face free from loose sticky strands of hair, only to pull out a few. She winced and listened again for the helicopter, but the sound was gone. She stomped one foot in the dirt, hard. Then Brenda came up with a finale solution: If there was no way to escape…then she would make sure there was no way Croelick would ever be able to touch her again…--Fritz woke up not knowing how long he had been asleep. His entire body was stiff and when he stretched everything popped or strained from lack of movement. He groaned and out of habit, reached out to the empty side of the bed where Brenda should be before he remembered she was gone. Anger filled up inside of him like an on coming desert storm; violent and kettle black. He heard his heart pounding hard in his ears and he bawled up his fingers into the fabric of the comforter to their bed. He had to find her…he had to find her now…_

_--_

_Croelick moaned and coughed himself to a slow and painful conscious state. His eyes fluttered a few times, but did not quite open. Brenda sat across the room watching him intently. While he had been unconscious, Brenda had searched the house for more than just duck tape to restrain him and found a pile of very thick rope. She then secured him to a chair, used double layers of duck tape at his ankles and wrists and placed the thick rope around his neck. She tied the ends of the rope to a post in the chair's back._

_Croelick moaned again._

"_I can't say I am happy to see you are alive, Croelick," Brenda said flatly. _

_Croelick groaned at her words and his head rolled to the side._

"_You should feel lucky to be alive, because if I did not want to see you rot in jail for the rest of your life…you would be six feet under ground," she added bitterly. Croelick coughed a pale laugh._

"_I knew you could not kill me, Brenda," came his forced, weak words. "You have a good sense of morals. You are a cop after all. Service and justice…"_

"_Oh I could," Brenda interrupted and folded her arms at her chest. "I could a thousand times over. Shame once is all we get."_

_Croelick let out another hint of a laugh. "Shame," he mirrored her words and rolled his head to face front and opened his eyes. Brenda could not stop the ice cold fingers that ran down her spine and caused her to shudder. Right there front of her…pure evil stared back at her in cold, swollen eyes. "But my death," Croelick continued, "would have meant nothing, if taken by anyone else but you, Brenda. I find you very fascinating as I am sure you are well aware of by now. I even risked everything…my own freedom to make you mine."_

"_You can rot in that cell forever, Croelick and you, will always remember who put you there," she said, her words growing more intense as she spoke. Brenda stood and walked forward toward him. "You will hate me for the rest of your life and that is all I want."Croelick could not move back from her intimidating glare and the radiating anger that nearly chocked him again. His arrogant smile slowly faded into curiosity and awe. He had never experience anger like Brenda's and he was drawn in more by it. He looked wide-eyed up at her when she stopped in front of his chair. His next words were chosen not only to strike back at her, but to feed the anger._

"_But you will always have me with you."_

"_What do you mean," she spat_

"_Why, that burn your stomach…you will always see it and you will always remember who put that there."_

_Brenda began to tremble again, but this time not from fear._

"_It will be there during all of those intimate moments. It will be there when that belli is swollen with child…"_

"_Stop it!"_

"…_it will be there when you are old…when you are dying…when a lover's hand touches your body…"_

"_STOP IT!"_

_Croelick was satisfied. If he could not inflict physical pain on her…the emotional pain would have to do and even if it caused him more suffering, which it did. Brenda swung her arm back and struck him with full force on the left cheek. Then she backed away. Her shoulders sagged and Croelick slowly moved his head back to the front in time to see her fall back into the chair, exhausted._

"_Did I hurt you again, Brenda," he asked, studying her._

"_No," she said and met his gaze. Her eyes were hard and tired. "I just realized that you are not worth it. You are nothing. You mean as much to me as a piece of gum under my shoe. I will toss you away. I will never think of you. You can be sure of that."_

"_I don't believe you…"_

_Brenda arched an eyebrow. "You will…"_

_--_

_It had seemed like hours for the help to arrive…and when it did, manic was the name of the game. There were several police helicopters in the fields, more than five police cruisers from the surrounding precincts and two ambulances. Brenda had been taken immediately to the nearest ambulance and treated for the burn and various other wounds. Croelick, against everyone's wishes was also treated for wounds and then placed in the back of a police cruiser farthest from the ambulance that Brenda rested in._

_Brenda, remained in the ambulance after being treated. She laid on her side, knees curled to her chest on the medical bed. Her eyes were moist from a few tears that trailed a path down her bruised cheek. She wiped them away just as she heard foot steps approaching; two types of foots prints to be exact. The first was slower; the second was slow then more frantic. She pegged the first to be that of Chief Pope and the second to be Fritz. Brenda had been trying to think of something, anything to say over the hour after she was left to rest in ambulance, but she had come up blank…not to mention out-right frustrated at her lack of thought. Outside the ambulance, Pope stopped Agent Howard from advancing forward._

"_I want to see her!" Fritz said in strong, angry words at being stopped. Raw emotions flooded his body and he had to mentally stop himself from shoving Pope aside. The frustration did not go unnoticed and Pope placed a strong, comforting hand on Howard's shoulder and squeezed._

"_Ok," he said calmly," but we need to get her to a hospital and then back to LA, ASAP. Understood?"_

"_Understood," Fritz barely got out as he pushed past the rest of the people and saw the ambulance ahead that held Brenda. He could not get there fast enough, just as he could not fly into Washington state fast enough. When he had woken earlier that day, a message flashed from his cell phone on the table. He had cursed himself for sleeping too hard and not hearing his phone ring. The message on the other end had been like a clouded dream…one that he was not so sure was reality. But when he finally spoke over the phone to Chief Pope that dream like reality became real reality. They had found her…__her _team had found her…they had not let her down…they had not let him down. Pope had said that someone from a near by county had received a strange message from a car radio. When they went to investigate the source of the message, they had found Brenda and Croelick. The police knew right away who she was, based on the reports of a female chief of police in LA that had been reported missing. Her face was all over the area as well as the surrounding counties and states. There had been relief in her eyes, but also an eerie distance. Brenda had appeared numb according to police.

As he approached the ambulance, Fritz's pace slowed and he steadied himself with a deep breath and visual image of what to expect. His breath was shallow. He first saw the medical kit at the step, then the medical bed, then the very tip of her bare feet. He slowly climbed up inside the ambulance and took in her body with pained eyes. The he sat down, gently and quietly. Brenda felt the air of the small compartment change with his presence and her throat tightened. Fritz sat down on the bench opposite from her, saw that her eyes were closed, and after a moment, spoke her name.

"Brenda?"

Brenda startled violently and her eyes shot open to see a blurry image of Fritz. She had known he was there, but after days of terror, her nerves were all but shot. He fought the urge to reach out and touch right away, when he saw the prey like fear in her brown eyes.

"I am sorry. I did not mean to startle you," Fritz said gently and locked her eyes with his. He desperately wanted to reached out for her…to touch her.

At seeing him, Brenda felt her strength began to crumble. She felt her eyes well up with new warm tears and knew that her chin quivered without any shame. Fritz saw her shaking and that sight broke his heart into pieces. This was his Brenda…this was the woman he loved…and that bastard Croelick had hurt her. Fritz would see that man suffer…he vowed that in his heart.

Her body was in shock…more from the mental trauma than the physical trauma and he could not take it any more. With one movement and fearing her resistance, Fritz took her within his arms. Brenda did not resist and she felt herself scooped up and held within his protective, large, strong and warm arms. It was then that she finally cracked into a million pieces…and she did not feel an ounce of embarrassment. She sobbed against his chest, while his hand came up to gingerly stroke her cheek and then hold her face to him while she cried. Brenda's hands searched his body and found the fabric and his shoulder blades. She gripped the fabric of his suit with all the strength she had left and held him as close to her as was humanly possible. Fritz let her cry, knowing full well that she needed his support and when her sobs became whispered, he lowered his lips to the top of her head and placed a soft kiss to her stiff hair. At the touch of his lips upon her, Brenda's hold to him tightened and after awhile as he held her, rocked slowly, and lightly stroked the side of her face, her crying slowed and then stopped. She felt weak and lifeless in his arms and Fritz knew Pope was right. Brenda needed to get to a hospital as soon as possible.

"Brenda," Fritz said gently. "We need to get you to a hospi…"

Brenda interrupted him and pulled back from his chest to stare into his face. His breath was caught in his throat. Her eyes were empty brown pools of color. "I just want to go home. Please, Fritz. I want to go home." Her haunted words matched the look in her eyes.

He continued to look at her for a moment and then brought both of his hands to cup her face gently. Her lips and chin quivered as he traced the dark shadow under her left eye with his thumb. While his eyes remained within hers, Brenda spoke again.

"Please," was all she said. Fritz leaned forward and placed a kiss to her lips, sighed, and gave in. He always gave in to her. She was that type of woman. She was the woman he loved with everything he had in his being.

"OK Brenda. OK. I will take you home," he finally said and pulled back from the kiss. A single tear fell down her cheek. When she moved her hand up to start to wipe it away, Fritz touched her cheek and did it for her. She gave a faint, loving smile.

"Thank you," was all she said…and 'thank you,' with the look in her eyes…was all he needed.

The medical staff present did not report any severe injuries, but that of minor cuts and bruises. Brenda did not mention the burn at her stomach and when they had found it, she still did talk about how it came to be. The medics had treated it and placed a gauze bandage over the burn.

Fritz had made the decision to take her home against Pope's order. He knew that he would have to answer to the man later, but right now…all that mattered, was her. He did not care anymore about order. All Fritz wanted was to never loose her again. He held her tight against him, lifted her as he stood, and carried her out of the back of the ambulance to his car. No one stopped him. No one dared…

--

Hours later, the sun had set and darkness took over the city of LA. When they had arrived home, Brenda had taken almost an hour in the shower before collapsing into bed…still wet in her towel.

Fritz entered the room not long after the shower waters had stopped to find her on the bed asleep. He sighed heavily and shrugged. Then he moved over to the bed and slowly drew a thick blanket over her body up to her shoulders before sliding into bed next to her and drawing her body gently into his arms. He made a slightly annoyed grunt when her towel holding her hair hit him in the face. He gently removed it and she did not wake to his relief. He smiled lovingly down at her and shook his head. "Brenda, Brenda, Brenda," he whispered as he nicely fixed her hair in a way so that he could nuzzle his face against hers. Fritz stayed awake for a long time, listening to her breath before he finally closed his own eyes. He was surprised at how fast he became tired and then soon…how fast he had fallen asleep. Agent Fritz Howard had awoke this day alone and unsure if he would ever see her again…but he would not wake the next morning the same.Neither one would be the same…

--

Croelick sat motionless and silent in the darkness of his cell. His eyes were fixed on the only amount of light that came in through the bullet proof glass of his cell door. He listened to the silence…he listened to nothing. When he closed his eyes, only one image was burned within his memory…Brenda…Brenda…Brenda…

He dug his fingers into the mattress of his bed and a few drops of blood fell to the cement floor at his feet. She was going to pay…Brenda was going to pay…and he would make sure he was the one to make her suffer for everything she had done…as his heart that she broke. He breathed in one shuddered, angry breath and opened his eyes to stare at the window again.

"I won't make the same mistake twice…" Croelick said to no one.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sorry this took so long. I got busy with making a video, plus I had to put all my stuff into my new computer. But here it is. I hope you all enjoy and thank you so much for reading.


	5. Chapter 5

All the Pretty Flowers:

Brenda felt completely exhausted. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see the familiar surroundings of her room. She relaxed after a few more relieved breaths and decided that a good hot cup of coffee would make her feel better. As she moved from the bed, her body was heavy and she barely made it out of bed…careful not wake Fritz. It had been almost 24 hours since she had been rescued and there was still times that a car going by or a shadow that she saw out of the corner of her eye would startle her. Brenda chided herself for the useless, child like fears. She knew nothing was really out there, but why could she not mentally convince herself of that truth? She replayed the scenes over and over again her mind, trying to find ways that it could have not happened, but nothing would surface. All she kept seeing was Croelick's sadistic smile followed by the smell of burning flesh. That was the one thing she wished she could forget. Absent mindedly, she rubbed the bandage at her abdomen as she padded softly toward the kitchen. Fritz stirred behind her, rolled to his stomach, but did not wake.

Brenda felt odd and out of place making the coffee, as if she were still dreaming. Parts of still were and she shook her head as hard as it would let her and pushed all the cold fears to the deepest part of her mind. There was no room for being scared. She had never been like that and she was not going to start now. "You're home…your safe," she said to herself as she placed the tray of coffee grinds into the maker.

Five minuets later, Brenda leaned against the counter and swallowed the mouth full of coffee that she had holding when her mind had drifted once again. She did not care about the burning sensation that rippled over her taste buds. The last few days played out in her mind in perfect movie film action…drama. She was the hero, that did not come out unscathed. Her skin rippled with goose-bumps and she felt her throat constrict almost as if the devil's hand were wrapped around her throat again. She did not notice that her hand trembled rather violently and caused hot coffee liquid to spill all over the floor at her feet. She had not heard Fritz approach slowly with his eyes slits of concern.

"Hey, Brenda…" Fritz said softly and caught the cup in mid air as it was tossed from her hand when she jumped violently.

"Don't ever do that again, Fritz!" Brenda said, spun around and glared at him. She could not help it. She was mad…but more mad at herself than at him. "Especially not now…" she finished with a heavy sigh.

"I am sorry," he said, set the cup down and took her in a warm protective hug. He felt her shaking as he held her. "I thought I was dreaming again. When I woke, you were not there and I thought the nightmare had not ended."

"I am still…"

Fritz hushed her with his words.

"I can't live without you Brenda. I couldn't. I won't," Fritz said and held her tighter. He breathed in the scent of her hair and instantly felt calmer. There was just something about the floral shampoo that she used that numbed his nerves. He heard her sigh and felt for the first time just how much this whole thing had really affected her. Fritz could not remember the last time he had seen her this shook up.

"I am still here, Fritz. I am real. I promise," she said and finally wrapped her arms around him in return of the embrace he offered. Her ear rested against his chest and in the silent moment between conversation, she listened to his strong, constant heart beat. They were practically beating as one. Brenda smiled softly.

"Good thing…" he said and smiled to himself. "Because I don't ever want to be that crazy again. You already drive me insane Brenda…when you are physically here…"

"I am just tired," Brenda said, almost as if she did not hear his words. She shifted her arms around him and buried her face within his chest. Fritz felt her breath warm against his skin and it scent chills throughout his body in more places than one. He was now trying so hard not feel this way…feel turned on, but there was no way to avoid it. Brenda was the woman he loved and he felt complete having her back. Her injuries were not extensive, luckily, however the emotional trauma…was the thing that concerned him the most. Brenda Leigh Johnson was hard, stubborn, and at times selfish which was what made her vulnerability very clear. The harder she fought for control…the farther and harder she fell in her human flaw. He wanted to take that away. He wanted to protect her forever…even when he knew he would not be able to…

"I know you are. Brenda, you have as much time off as you need from work. Chief Pope gave you no limit. Croelick is in custody and under 24 hour surveillance. I took time off to be here with you. All you need to do is rest. I don't expect anything more from you…or anything less, " he added at the end.

Brenda mumbled something with her face still buried at his chest.

"What? Brenda?" Fritz took her face within his hands and gently pushed her back from his chest. He held back a snicker when he saw her crinkled face with her eyes still shut tight. "Hey," he said with a fond smile and tapped her nose to get it to relax. "Talk to me Brenda.""It was dark in there," she whined and shook her head back and forth within his hands. "I don't want to wake up or open my eyes. I am afraid of who I will see when I open them."

"I am here Brenda…" Fritz said carefully.

Brenda slowly opened her eyes to find relief by his familiar, comforting face. She saw the smile instantly fade from his lips as he looked down at her. "I don't think I slept all day. I remember trying, but…I could not get my eyes to close for more than a second." she said and blinked once. It was then that he finally noticed the dark circles under her brown eyes. Fritz gingerly ran his thumb under her left eye as he spoke.

"I can see that. You look like you have not slept in days…"

"I know I haven't…"

"Then I order you to get some rest and Brenda…I will make you close those beautiful brown eyes of yours if it kills me."

"Oh…no," Brenda said and placed her fingertips to his lips. "I will do that myself as long as you promise not to leave me…"

Fritz smiled and lightly kissed the fingertip at his lips. "I won't leave…'_ever'_…" he said and leaned over her to kiss the top of her head. "You don't have to ask me twice." Fritz released her face and Brenda saw a familiar look in his eyes. A look that turned her still raw stomach inside out.

"Fritz, I can't. I have been beaten and tortured for three days. I don't think I have the…"

His lips met hers in lustful passion.

"…energy…" was all she got out before she fell under his spell.

It was just about a second later when Fritz lifted her easily up into his arms, still within the embrace and carried her back into their bedroom. Gently, he lowered her to the bed and fell in place on top of her. He paused within the kiss for one moment to stare into her eyes. He wanted to make sure she was ok and his heart nearly stopped beating when he saw the passion in her eyes returned. He swallowed fast. Brenda, could never stop herself from him, just as he could never stop himself from her. They were too good for one another. He was glad she was ok and also wanted him as much as he wanted her. Three days apart, three days of stress and worry…had been too much for him…

Brenda felt safe within his arms…sex included.

Fritz embraced her again and Brenda moaned deep within her throat. Physically, she really was ok. She moved her hands to his shoulders and pushed him down from her lips to the soft nape of her neck. He eagerly obliged. She curved her fingers around his shoulders and then dragged them deliciously down the toned muscles of his back right to edge of his boxers. He nipped lightly at her neck and urged her onward because he was not sure how much longer he was going to be able to last. Brenda shook her head and slid her fingers beneath his the fabric to touch the warm roundness of his backside. She took both cheeks within her hands and squeezed. Fritz jerked his head back and gave her a sharp look.

"Now now, Brenda. Not fair," he said and kissed her once. She smiled and winked at him.

"Right. It is not fair," she said and completely removed her hands. His face showed disappointment. "I think I should go first," she finished and placed her hands above her head. Fritz blinked for a moment, slightly confused, before it clicked. He nodded, shook his head, and sighed playfully.

"You're right…"he chuckled. "What was I thinking?" Brenda shrugged, smirked, and waited for him to continue. At this point she had all but forgotten about the patch at her lower abdomen and the lighter burn that was hidden beneath. Fritz again, did not wait long.

Almost an hour later, Fritz drew her sweet soaked body into his arms and breathed loudly with bliss. She weakened inside his embrace and he looked down to see her eyes closed.

"Already?"

"Three days of trauma…"

"You win…" he laughed and stroked the side of her face.

"I will win every time…"

"Oh no! Brenda?!! Are you back?!!" Fritz teased.

"Shut up! I want to sleep." Brenda said and dug her nails into the sensitive skin at his side in teasing.

"Ouch!"

Brenda shook her head against his chest and blew out a sigh. "Sorry," she mumbled. Fritz ran his fingers through her hair and fixed loose strands behind her ear.

"Don't worry about it," he replied staring down at her.

"Thank you…" Brenda said after a long pause.

Fritz's brow furrowed and he titled his head to the side to see her face. Brenda's eyes were still closed. "For what Brenda? I will always find you no matter where you go," he said.

Brenda smiled sleepily. "For helping me sleep," she finished. Fritz's lips formed a child-like-grin and he wrapped his arms around her possessively. He raised his head up and kissed the top of her head.

"You're welcome…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Downtown, the state prison alarms had gone off. Three guards lay burned to a crisp at the entrance to an open cell lock door. On the floor written in blood and burnt human flesh was a message.

'TELL THE DEPUTY CHIEF I AM READY TO COME HOME…'

The chief of prison police looked up from the message to several other officers standing behind him. "Get me Chief Pope on the line NOW!"


	6. Chapter 6

Fresh in the Grave

Will Pope slammed the receiver down onto the night stand and flung himself from the bed. He grabbed his cell and was calling Brenda's cell as he picked up a shirt from the hamper and jeans from the floor. Nothing mattered right now, but to reach her.

The phone rang….nothing.

"Come on Brenda! Pick up!" Pope yelled into the end of his cell phone. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest and a hard knot formed in his throat when the phone rang again. "Dammit!"

The phone rang once more and then went into voice mail. Pope spoke in urgency with his message.

"Brenda! He's out. Bill Croelick escaped from LA max around 3:15 this afternoon. Brenda…get the hell out of your house!"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

-"…oh my god…no!!!….don't do this…kill him!!…kill her!! FIRE!…oh god no!!!! FRITZ!!!!"-

"Brenda?"

"OH god!!"

Brenda sat straight up in their bed and flung her arms out in protective defense of fires flames that were not there. Fritz's eyes widened in alarm and he was hesitant to touch her at first. However, that changed when seconds later he saw white before his eyes as Brenda's left elbow hit him hard in the nose. He yelped a grunt that was loud enough to startle Brenda back into reality from the waking nightmare. She spun around on the bed and froze in shock mixed with confusion.

"Fritz? What's wrong?" She asked rich with southern drawl. Fritz groaned and rubbed the tender spot between his eyes.

"You were having a nightmare and I was going to attempt to wake you. You woke yourself…I guess."

Brenda's eyes squinted and her head tilted to the side. "I don't have night," she said bluntly.

"You do…"

"No…I don't…" Brenda repeated. Fritz started to disagree again, but decided to let her win. Brenda bit her lower lip. "Did I do that? Did I hit you," she asked her words changed to a more gentle tone…one he liked very much. She sounded sweet, motherly, and like the lover he had fallen for.

"Yes, but like I said…you were not awake. I did not expect it…"

"Apparently not," Brenda said, moved from the bed and padded around to his side and took his face within her hands. "You look as bad as I feel right now," she said with a soft chuckle. "…And that takes a lot."

"…uh huh…"

"I will get you some ice. Ok?" Brenda said and leaned forward to kiss the bruise forming between his eyes. He flinched, but not by much. When she drew back, he was smiling at her.

"What," she said confused.

"Nothing…" Fritz said with a slight shake of his head. Brenda smiled back.

"I will be right back."

Brenda let her hand linger on his face for a brief moment and met his gaze. He was the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes on and she never thought that after all these years…he would come back into life. Secretly, she had hoped he would when they first caught up in L.A. back when she was new to the city. But she had never told him that she wanted to start seeing him…he got to it first. Brenda was thankful for that, for she was never one to admit she really needed anything in the matters of love. She returned the smile with one of her own and headed into the kitchen. Perhaps if she would have listened to that tight, sick feeling in her stomach, she would have never left the bedroom. But…by the time she felt the warning…it was too late.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

15 minutes earlier:

Croelick backed into a shadow that was left by the hall closet as he entered through the back door. It had been so simple to key the lock just as he had done the first time in order to say good-bye to the lady who had completely surprised him. He never liked strong females before, but when it came to the Deputy Chief…exceptions had been made. Croelick smiled to himself and waited. Off in the distance he heard muffled voices of those just waking. There was a groan and a soft chuckle. He had entered just after Brenda had woken from the nightmare. Upon hearing the screams of fear from outside, he had known just when the right moment would be to enter and not be heard.

He had waited…waited for the right moment to take back what he considered to be his. Whether he planned to kill her or not…would come later…but after the cabin encounter…Croelick had a few more things to settle with Brenda.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Do you want some coffee when I bring the ice?" Brenda called from the kitchen and paused at the sink with the tea kettle.

"Yeah…sure. Sounds good. I think it will help to dull the pain…" Fritz said back to her and winced when he turned his head to look at the time on the nightstand clock. The movement hurt more than he thought it would. He started to lay back down when something almost fully covered by Brenda's pillow, flashing, caught his eye. Fritz lifted the pillow up and saw that it was Brenda's cell phone with a voice mail. "Hey Brenda?…"

Brenda had just set the tea kettle on the stove top and turned it on when a reflection on the surface of the black kettle turned her soul ice cold. She whirled around just as two hands wrapped around her throat so hard she felt her eyes nearly pop out from her head and lift her from the safety of the floor. Instinctively, Brenda's hands went around the attackers wrists to pull them off. There, standing in front of her was the last face she had ever wanted to see again. She tried to speak, but all that came out was gurgled gasps for breath.

Croelick's eyes were dark and wild. The corners of his mouth were twisted up with animated pleasure. Brenda swore she saw a twinkle in his eyes. She felt as if she were going to be sick and she was not sure at the moment if it was anger or fear that caused it or the reality that she was dying…pissed off that it was Croelick that was ending her existence from this world…

"…release her or I will shoot!" Fritz said, standing from the hall that lead from the bedroom. He had heard a strange sound from the kitchen and based on past experience and the fact that tiny hairs on the back of his neck stood on end…he knew without a doubt that something was wrong. What he now saw in front of him was more horrific than what he could ever imagine. Brenda was held up in the air by Croelick. Her face was slightly blue and her hands were frantically trying to pull the his from around her throat.

"You try that, pal, and I will break her neck," Croelick said with malicious intent. He took a step and half turned around to face Fritz with Brenda dangling in mid-air.

_Kick him! Kick him!!! Do something Brenda! Hurt him, fight!!!! _The words flooded Brenda's mind and try as she might…there was no connection between her brain and the rest of her body. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Fritz and felt a cool tear release itself from the corner of her eye and make a path down along her jaw line. _Not like this!!! Dammit! Not like this!!!_

"Release her!" Fritz said again and pulled back on the trigger of his gun. Croelick smiled more and cocked his head to the side. His eyes narrowed in a study like fashion.

"Seriously," he asked, "this is how you are going to make it? Seriously? You want to see her die. Ok…I get it! Twisted lovers game…To each their own…" He laughed and shrugged. Croelick turned back to Brenda and meet her angry, scared eyes. "I am sorry, I would have liked to play longer, but your boyfriend wants to play too…and since he is the one with the gun…I say he wins…"

Brenda used the last bit of consciousness to force her head to turn. She found his eyes…Fritz lovely eyes and then she saw his mouth open in a scream that would burn in her memory forever…


	7. Chapter 7

Dead Flowers in LA

…Brenda used the last bit of consciousness to force her head to turn. She found his eyes…Fritz lovely eyes and then she saw his mouth open in a scream that would burn in her memory forever…

A hour before…

"I want to be a part of this!" Brenda demanded. She stood in front of Chief Will Pope's desk and when she finished her tyrant, slammed both hands on the surface of the hard wood. Her chest heaved in deep angry breaths and her eyes burned with fuming anger.

Will blinked once and stared at her in the silence after her words. As he looked over his deputy chief, he saw the reminisce of bruising on her neck, left cheek, and a few cuts that had begun to heal under her left eye. While she looked stern, even held together, Will saw the fear seeping through the cracks that Bill Croelick had left behind. He hated to see her this angry, because when Brenda was angry, things always got done faster in the wrong ways…for good reasons.

"No, Brenda. I cannot in my own right mind…and my professional mind, allow it. You are already his victim, I might add…and the one that got away. You know as well as I do that he does not forget," Will said in a calm voice and his blue eyes mirrored the concern his words held. Brenda did not budge and Will saw her jaw tighten as she continued to stare directly at him. He knew this was not going to be an easy fight to win. Brenda was stubborn and the most determined woman he had even met. That was one of the qualities that he still continued to love about her. He knew that she wanted to bring Bill Croelick down more than anyone else and although he wanted to give that to her…he could not.

"Brenda…" he finally said after the moment of silence became suffocating. "Understand that I don't do this because I don't always appreciate and need the expertise that you provide. I am keeping you from this case so that I don't loose you again…" he paused, saw the look of surprise on her face and fixed his sentence. "What I mean is, so that we don't loose you again. This squad needs you as much as the victims need you. Agent Howard needs you," he added at the end and gave a small smile.

"He did this to me Will! Not you, not Fritz, not any other criminal I have put away! HE did THIS to ME! How can you NOT let me be the one to bring him in." She said, one finger pointing at the wounds on her face. Will adjusted in his stance and swallowed as he looked at his Chief. "How can you stand there, in front of me and tell me no? After everything," she said, shaking her head as lightly as she could so as to not increase the dull throb at the base of her skull.

Will reached out and placed one hand on top of hers on the desk. Brenda looked down for a moment then back up and pulled her hand away. "Don't try to be nice, Will," she said and pursed her lips a beat and then started to turn to leave. "Because nice does not help to bring him in…"

"Brenda!" Will called out to her, hoping to get her to pause. Brenda continued to move and reached for the door. Will saw that she was not going to stop and moved from behind his desk in one fast movement. He reached out for her arm and grabbed it. Brenda jerked her head around and glared at him over her shoulder. He tightened his fingers around the part of her arm that he held when she attempted to jerk it away from him. "Brenda," he said again, this time using the tone that meant he was not in the mood for anymore arguments.

"What!"

"Go home. And that's an order."

"If I don't?" Brenda spat back.

"Then I will have you locked up myself. Here, for as long as it takes."

Brenda's face hardened and trembled with anger that was on the verge of exploding. She pulled her arm again and won. "I don't want to look at you right now," she said and flung the door the rest of the way open and marched through with the staccato of her heels echoing down the hall after her.

"Good!" Will called after her and sighed a breath of relief. For now, at least she would be home and safe. However, he would have a unit placed outside her house for as long as the man was still out there.

Will watched her march down the hall all the way down to the elevators, adjusting her bag on her shoulder more than once. Brenda gave him one last glare as she slammed her palm onto the down button and stepped inside. Once she was alone, she rubbed her palm and stared at the hard metal doors.

* * *

Brenda fumbled with the keys to the back door lock and shoved them in once she found the hole. She had stopped on the way home and in fury, had bought a dozen powdered jelly filled doughnuts from the corner store and planned on eating her anger away. She could think of nothing better to do…that and perhaps sex. She sighed and pushed open the door and shut it behind her, making sure to lock it.

"Fritzy…I'm home…" she said to the dimly lit kitchen. She squinted for a moment and then reached behind her to turn on the light. "Fritz?" She said again and walked up to the table, sitting her keys, black purse, and doughnuts down. "You had better not be asleep…" she muttered to herself and moved around the table toward the living room. She was about to call out again when she barely missed tripping over a large mass on the floor. Brenda felt as if time had stopped and the air in her lungs was frozen with it. A man's body in a hoodie was lying face down on the floor; a pool of blood rivered out from beneath his head in the cracks on the floor. Her jaw dropped. "FRITZ!?"…but she was wrong…

Brenda tumbled to the floor and reached for him. Carefully, she touched the back of his head and then his neck feeling for a pulse. At the sound of her voice and then her touch, he moaned and her world began to start again…at least for a brief moment.

"Fritz…oh my god…Fritz?! What happen…" Her words were halted by two strong hands that surrounded her throat and sent her fumbling backwards to get away. Her body was jerked upward as he stood and was pulled along by him. Her feet dangled in the air and she kicked wildly at him, but failed to force him, Croelick, to release her. Her mind screamed but all that came from her mouth was gasped cries for help.

"…release her or I will shoot!" Fritz said, standing from the hall that lead from the bedroom. Brenda would never be able to explain how glad she was to see him.

"You try that, pal, and I will break her neck," Croelick said with malicious intent. He took a half step around to face Fritz with Brenda dangling in mid-air.

"Release her!" Fritz said again and pulled back on the trigger of his gun. Croelick smiled more and cocked his head to the side. His eyes narrowed in a study like fashion.

"Seriously," he asked, "this is how you are going to make it? Seriously? You want to see her die. Ok…I get it! Twisted lovers game…To each their own…" He laughed and shrugged. Croelick turned back to Brenda and meet her angry, scared eyes. "I am sorry, I would have liked to play longer, but your boyfriend wants to play too…and since he is the one with the gun…I say he wins…" He laughed, but had no intention of letting anyone else win.

Brenda used the last bit of consciousness to force her head to turn. She found his eyes…Fritz lovely eyes and then she saw his mouth open in a scream that would burn in her memory forever…

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Present time

She was not sure how long she had been out or how things had turned out just as they were presently. Her eyes jerked open and she screamed as best she could with duck tape covering her mouth. As her vision cleared, she saw Fritz across the table from her, also tied up, and Bill Croelick, sitting between them. Her eyes shifted from Fritz to Croelick. The mad man was smiling and he licked his lips when he moved the end of the gun barrel to stroke across her cheek.

"You look well after this short time," he hissed romantically at her and locked his eyes with hers. "Just keep getting prettier and prettier…"

'Shut up…' her mind said…that her mouth could not. Fritz jerked madly at his restraints, but was stopped by a hard hit with the butt of Croelick's gun. At Fritz's pain, Brenda tore at her restraints with everything she had left. She was determined to end this. Seeing the man she loved, with blood trickling down his face had made that decision for her. It was enough.

She came at Croelick like a mass of bulls in a stampede and would have been successful, had he not aimed and fired his gun at her, hitting her in the shoulder. She went down hard, hit the floor, and rolled to her side. For a brief moment, the pain was mind numbing, but Croelick's words brought her back.

"Get up," he said, standing over her with the gun ready to fire again if she tried anything else. "Hands stay forward and sit down at the table. We have some talking to do."

Brenda did exactly as she was told, but made sure he knew it was not because he had ordered her to do so. She held her shoulder, cupping her fingers tight over the throbbing wound when she sat down. She looked forward to find Fritz's scared and enraged eyes seeking her's out. A single tear fell down her cheek…she hated that tear.

"No no no!" Croelick said and grabbed her chin hard within his fingers and jerked it to look at him. "I am the guest…" he said with a smile and reached up to brush the tear away with his thumb. Brenda was horrified. The rage that began to rise over powered any register of pain and she jerked her face away.

Croelick chuckled at her and aimed the gun barrel at Fritz once he was seated again. "You want him to have a matching wound? Keep resisting this and he will…" he said. Brenda scowled at him, but her emotions could not be blocked out. All she could think of…was Fritz. All she wanted to do…was get him out…all she wanted to do was to kill the man that was turning her life into a terror filled waking dream.

"…so let's talk…"


	8. Chapter 8

**Blood Red Rose**

"…so let's talk…"

Bill Croelick finished dressing the gunshot wound he had inflicted on Brenda and then made sure she was securely tied to the kitchen chair. Fritz's eyes never left Brenda while Croelick dressed the wound. Croelick chuckled to himself and turned toward the FBI agent.

"Don't worry FBI…I don't intend to kill her…I like her too much for that. However," he said smoothly, "playing that game does have its potential." He gave a sly smile in Fritz's direction.

"Playing that game?" Brenda countered and moved Croelick's attention away from Fritz. She hoped he was doing his best to get free and the more she played Bill's game the longer it gave Fritz the chance to succeed. Brenda also counted on the last bit of strength she had left to hold out. Although the wound had been dressed, the blood loss was still enough to make her dizzy. She blinked a few times and her eyes fell upon Croelick's. "This is no game Bill," she said through a tight jaw. "You and I both know this. You want something, so tell me what that is and perhaps we can work a way for you to get it. I don't play games," she said.

"Brenda Leigh…now you know it has always been with you and me. A game…of say…cat and mouse," he replied. "We have a special bond. You understand me…and I understand you…" He laughed quietly and stood. Croelick took his time and walked around where Brenda sat to stand behind her and have a good view of the agent as well. He leaned down and rested his chin on the top of Brenda's head and sighed. Fritz remained as calm as he could be without giving it away that he was working the ropes that tied him down. He had a hard time, however, hiding the rage that was already at its boiling point. Croelick's eyes gleamed intensely and his smile was dangerous. Fritz could only wait and watch the scene play out in front of him. He knew he had to, in order to free them both. What he watched was a pure horror show. Croelick gently stroked Brenda's cheek with the back of his hand and relished every moment of it. His skin crawled with awakened sensations. It wasn't a game…

…it was damn show…

Brenda pulled her head to the side away from Croelick's fingers. "You wanted to talk, Bill…so talk…because you don't have a lot of time left. I know someone is on their way to help and I have a gut feeling you will be the one staring at the four walls of life in prison…after that help comes."

Croelick gripped her face with his hands and snapped her head back so that she had to look up at him. Brenda was not able to stop the out cry from the force of his pull and the pain that followed. He stared down at her; his smile faded. Croelick brought his face down to hers and took in her scent of raw fear that she kept well restrained. She heard a small laugh. She could have lost it all, but she didn't. Years of training had prepared her for situations like this…but then…there was always a catch…sometimes a surprise that one was never prepared for…

After a moment had passed, Croelick slowly pressed his lips to hers, felt her resistance and smiled to himself. He could only imagine what Fritz's face showed and that excited him more. Her lips were softer then he had expected and tasted slightly bitter from sweat and blood. He lingered as long as he desired and it was long enough…

Fritz made his move.

Brenda felt the nausea start to rise in her throat and she made futile attempts to get away. Croelick held her face firm. Her chest heaved with furious breaths that she had to take through her nose because she would be damned if she parted her lips even an inch. Her shoulder throbbed and hurt more as the blood rushed through her veins. Brenda dug her fingers into the skin of her palms in desperate anger. Her mind kept playing tricks on her and she hoped that the tricks were not real…she hoped that what was happening was the worst nightmare she had ever had. But when Croelick parted from the forced embrace, she found it to be no dream at all…

Croelick leered down at her. He saw her jaw tremble in restrained anger and knew he would never forget how she looked. She was the perfect woman…one that he did not want to kill…one that he wanted to torture…to keep alive…to bring her down and then up again…to press his body against her…forced pleasure. He wanted to feel every part of her. Brenda saw those images in his eyes and she jerked her head free. Bill had let her go. She coughed several times before meeting Fritz's eyes. She saw pain and fury within them. Fritz saw the same within hers and that ripped his heart from his chest. He never liked seeing Brenda looking fragile in situations as what was happening presently. Brenda felt herself become light headed and knew it was only a matter of time before she passed out.

Time was not on their side…so Brenda thought.

Fritz kept his arms in place; the rope was in a pile on the floor behind him. He now waited for the right moment to strike. He knew that if Croelick touched her again in anyway, he would be forced to attack before the moment was right. Fritz hoped that Croelick tried anything…because he would use the anger from that to kill him.

"That was wonderful," Croelick purred and licked his lips to taste her. "Brenda Leigh…one is a lucky man to have you…I will make my luck…so very soon…" He said tauntingly to Fritz. Croelick snickered. The FBI was just so damn predictable. So much so, that he was waiting for the man to attack. Croelick knew it was going to be soon for he heard sirens off in the distance. He did not want his time with her to end…not yet. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment…

Fritz waited to make his move. He had to have the advantage and he wanted Croelick as far from Brenda as possible. He saw the man put both hands on Brenda's shoulders and he saw her tense from the pain of that touch.

…almost…Fritz's mind said…almost.

"I don't think I am done with this…and I did not even get to talk," Croelick said. "Well not as much as I wanted…"

"You wasted your time, Bill," Brenda said with a sneer.

"Not at all Brenda,…what happens between us is never a waste of time," he smiled over at Fritz. The FBI man was trembling…most likely ready to pounce, Croelick thought…'and I will be ready…'

"Well, perhaps we should take our talk, 'Just Plain Brenda'…to a more private location…"

"No…"

'…NO!…' Fritz's mind screamed.

Fritz grunted something through the tape over his mouth that was not understood. Croelick took it as a yes. "I think FBI man is ok with us taking our conversation to a more private location, Brenda. There was no protest…" he laughed softly. He took out a knife from his pocket and cut all the ropes that tied Brenda down. He forced her to stand and shoved the hard barrel of her gun in middle of her back. Fritz was at the brink of a cave in of emotions and when the gun was thrust into Brenda's back, the cave collapsed. He stood and threw the chair back. He charged at Croelick with lightening speed. The action only slightly surprised Croelick. He turned to fire the gun at the agent, but was met with a hard hit to the face and pull of the hand that held the gun. Croelick was very much surprised and impressed by the FBI's force. Fritz was able to release Brenda from the man's grasp and saw her stumble forward and hug the door before her. She looked back and watched the entire event play itself out. She needed a moment to ground herself. She felt uneasy on her feet.

In a blurry mess of bodies and dead on swings of a fist, Fritz knocked Croelick down and threw the gun across the room. Brenda saw where it came to rest. Fritz pounded hard into Bill's face and the man moaned and struggled beneath him. He could not stop himself and Brenda knew that if she did not stop Fritz, Bill Croelick would be dead… For Brenda…she wanted to see the man rot in prison…death was too easy of a punishment.

"Stop it man!!" Croelick cried out.

"Fritz!" Brenda yelled, but Fritz was in another zone. Her words did not even reach him. Brenda looked back over to where the gun lie and headed that way. Behind her she heard the gurgled pleas coming from Croelick and the grunts of powerful hits that came from Fritz. He was impressive when it came to brute force.

The sirens were louder now, most likely on their street as her fingers gripped the trigger of the gun. She made her way back to where to two men fought in time to see Croelick get one good hit to Fritz's face. She saw blood splatter outward and push Fritz back. It was enough to allow Croelick to get up, but once up, he found that he now stared down the barrel of her gun. Brenda heard Fritz coughed somewhere off to her left.

"This is between you and me…not him," she said, very much away of her shaky voice and brittle emotions. She pulled back the trigger, clicked it into place, ready to fire if he came her way. Outside, the sirens had stopped and they all heard car doors opening and shutting. "This is over Croelick," she said. "You are going to rot in prison…I will make sure of that…"

"No, I won't," Croelick snarled, but only got a step toward her before the gun fired. The bullet hit him in the chest. He continued to advance forward. Another bullet, into the shoulder. He halted a moment, stumbled, and then fell backward toward the counter. Croelick met Brenda's fiery gaze before falling to the ground.

Pope, Taylor, Gabriel, and Flynn and Provenza burst into the kitchen just as the echoes faded from Brenda's gunfire. They saw Fritz on the floor and Brenda still standing over Croelick with her gun aimed at him. Her grip was so tight around the weapon that her knuckles turned white. It took the sound of Gabriel's voice to force her to release and let her hands fall to her sides. Pope and Flynn had moved over toward Fritz and had helped him up. Fritz's lip was black and blue and there was dried blood on his face and fresh running down from the corner of his mouth. Brenda was in a slightly worse condition. The gunshot wound on her left shoulder had started to bleed again and her eyes showed signs of faint. But like everyone expected she remained true to Brenda.

"Get him out of my house," she ordered and thanked Gabriel for bringing her back with a flicker of a smile. Gabriel nodded and he and Provenza pulled Croelick to his feet and dragged him out the door. It would be the last time she would ever see Bill Croelick and Brenda was none too sad about that…

Fritz made his way back to Brenda and surrounded her with his arms and Brenda collapsed against him, feeling for the first time in many weeks…safe.

"Perhaps we should get you two to the hospital?" Pope suggested gently. Fritz nodded and held onto Brenda as they followed the team out the door and into late afternoon sun…

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fritz held Brenda gently within his arms and watched her sleep for hours. Her face looked peaceful. He smiled. It would be another few hours before sleep would finally take over him and lull him into the deepest sleep of his life. It was then, that Brenda would watch over him…

THE END


End file.
